Today In Terribleness: Bible-Thumping Pervs & An Iranian Plane Crash

I’ve come across some news this week that is just plain horrifying. I figure the only way to make myself feel less depressed about it is to share all of the awful news with you guys! So if your day is just going too damn well, here’s your chance to make it a little less lovely. After the jump, crazy-depressing news that is guaranteed not to put a smile on your face. Sorry, everyone.

First up, the creepy sex-offender story. Evangelist Tony Alamo, who formerly ran a religious compound, has been accused of taking five girls across state lines for sex between 1994 and 2005. He reportedly made an 8-year old his bride, and repeatedly sexually assaulted her and four other girls. He faces 10 years in prison if found guilty, but it’s obvious that he deserves a much more brutal punishment than that. He claims that “God instructed him” to act as he did. Oh, lord. [MSNBC]

Second on the list: 10 Sudanese women, along with the journalist who reported the event, have been flogged (yes, beaten) for wearing pants in a café. Sharia (Islamic Law) has been implemented in Sudan since the current ruling party came to power in 1989. Supposedly, “action by the public order police is often arbitrary and aims ‘from time to time to let people know that Big Brother is watching you.’” Three of the woman have chosen to go to trial, instead of being beaten immediately. Oh, what lovely choices these women have. [Telegraph]

An Iranian airline’s plane also crashed yesterday morning, leaving all 168 of the passengers dead. The aircraft, which was flying from Tehran to Armania, had ten members of Iran’s youth judo team on board. [CNN]

And yesterday afternoon, a human rights activist was kidnapped and murdered near her home in Grozny, Chechnya. The 50-year old woman, Natalya Estemirova, was an activist for an organization called “Memorial,” and had won three awards for her work. Estemirova had been openly critical of Cheynya’s authoritarian president, Ramzan Kadyrov, which unfortunately may have been part of what provoked her murder. [CNN]

Last but not least, an Indian politician was arrested and her house set on fire after she allegedly suggested another politician should be raped. Rita Bahuguna Joshi suggested that if another female politician, Chief Minister Mayawati, were raped, she would be able to better understand how it affects other Indian women. She also says her comments have been taken out of context. [Yahoo UK]

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